From a nifty pedometer to luxury bedding -- presents of rest and relaxation for the busy, successful mother

All Share Services

Michelle Obama is a mother on the go. Not only is she keeping her own family healthy and on track, she’s steering the entire country in a positive direction through education, exercise initiatives and community outreach. For an overloaded woman like her, you’ll need to keep it practical — and spoil her in simple, straightforward ways.

Help the mom who never stops prove it to the world with a pocket pedometer from Omrom ($32.99), which will quantify her activity by measuring steps, calories and distance. A seven-day history catalogs an entire week of exercise, while the whole device weighs only a pound and can be dropped in a bag or purse and still work uninterrupted. It’s both offbeat — poking fun at the nonstop bustle — and functional, with included software that graphs heart rate and blood pressure.

To insist she take some alone time, give a woman like Michelle a Manduko Pro yoga mat ($100) in the purplish Black Magic shade (for extra flash). Channeling all outward energy through yoga will help to slow down her mind, optimize her breathing — and assure her that a nervous breakdown is not an option. It’s something to fall back on, literally, and it comes with a lifetime warranty.

You Might Also Like

When it’s finally time to rest, she should do so like a queen: on a royal bed that’s as soft as a cloud, with a thread count that’s off the charts. Area makes an elegant set of Pearl sheets, made from 100 percent organic cotton sateen, basic and clean, with various components available in white, ivory, cement and shadow. Group a king-size duvet ($310), a fitted sheet ($200), a flat sheet ($210) and pillowcases ($110) and it all adds up to a heavenly night’s sleep.